circle of fifty feet in diameter we counted a dozen pines, every one
of which would have yielded ten to twelve thousand feet of sawed
timber. Flowers of the richest colors were found in the woods,
and the range afforded feed for thousands of cattle. At Southern's
we took a spring-top wagon in which to ride sixteen miles over the
mountains. We spent three days in the journey between Delta,
California, and Ashland, Oregon, the two ends of the railway
approaching towards each other. I recall it as the most charming
mountain ride I ever took. While crossing the mountain I occupied
a seat with the driver and much of the time I held the reins. The
ascent of the Siskiyou mountain was very tedious. Much of the way
the load was too heavy for our six horses to pull, and many dismounted
from the coach, among them the driver; the reins were placed in my
hands and we transferred most of the baggage from the boot to the
body of the coach. So we climbed the Siskiyou 5,000 feet to the
summit of the pass. Then on a gallop, with the coach full, we
turned downward. At one time, as the lead team turned a sharp
curve, it was nearly opposite the stage. Down, still down, and on
the full gallop, we arrived at Ashland on the evening of the 31st
of May, and remained there one day.

On the 1st of June we followed the line of the Willamette valley,
a productive region for the cultivation of wheat and other cereals.
At Albany we were met by Governor Moody and Secretary Earnhart,
who welcomed us to Oregon. With these officials we went to Salem,
the capital city of the state. My visit in Salem was a very pleasant
one and I was especially indebted to Governor Moody for his courtesy
and kindness. On the morning of the next day, the 2nd of June, we
left Salem and rode down the valley to Portland. This, the principal
city of Oregon, then contained a population of nearly 40,000, of
whom 6,000 or 7,000 were Chinese. It was the natural head of
navigation of the Columbia River, and was a flourishing handsome
city of the American type, in this respect unlike the cities of
California. General Miles was then in command of the military
district, with his residence at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory.
The military post of Vancouver was then on the north bank of the
Columbia River, but a few miles from Portland. Mrs. Miles is the
daughter of my brother Charles, and I remained with their family
in Vancouver during my two or three days stay th